Australia faces its latest Cabinet reshuffle after Scott Morrison was voted by the Liberal partyroom as the country’s next prime minister.
Malcolm Turnbull was dumped as prime minister by the Liberals just after midday on Friday, following a calamitous week in Canberra.
Treasurer Scott Morrison will be the 30th prime minister of Australia, winning 45 votes to 40 over challenger Peter Dutton.
Josh Frydenberg was voted in as the new deputy leader of the Liberals, with an “overwhelming” majority of votes, according to chief whip Nola Marino.
A major part of the transition to the Morrison Government will be the announcement of a new Cabinet.
For the rail sector, key portfolios include infrastructure, cities and urban infrastructure, and treasurer.
There will of course be a new treasurer – given Morrison’s ascendency – but the other two key portfolios could remain stable.
The infrastructure portfolio is held by National Party leader, and deputy PM, Michael McCormack, and so is unlikely to be disrupted.
Turnbull’s cities and infrastructure minister, Paul Fletcher, also seems likely to keep his spot, given his close affiliation with Morrison in recent years.
Earlier in the week, Turnbull defeated insurgent Peter Dutton in a spill vote, but rumblings continued in the 48 hours following that vote, peaking on Thursday afternoon when Turnbull challenged Liberal MPs to sign their names to a petition for another leadership spill.
“Australians will be rightly appalled by what they’re witnessing in their nation’s Parliament today and in the course of this week,” Turnbull told the press on Thursday.
Dutton handed in the petition on Friday, and a movement to spill the leadership of the Liberal party, passing 45 votes to 40.
Turnbull did not run in the subsequent ballot, effectively resigning his position as prime minister.
Scott Morrison, Peter Dutton and Turnbull’s deputy in the Liberal Party, Julie Bishop, contested the ballot to be the next party leader.
Bishop was eliminated in the first round of balloting, leaving Morrison and Dutton in the final standoff.
Morrison was voted in as the party’s new leader shortly before 1pm on Friday, August 24.